Foreign Language Requirement

You can establish intermediate proficiency in a foreign language by doing one of the following:

• Complete coursework through the 202 level course in a foreign language

• Transfer language credit equivalent to the 202 level from another institution or sufficient scores from AP/IB/CLEP exams 

• Receive a Language Waiver from the Department of Modern and Classical Languages

• Receive credit equivalent to the 202 level course from a placement test with the Department of Modern and Classical Languages

How you complete your GLOA foreign language requirements depends upon how you establish intermediate proficiency.

• If you establish intermediate proficiency in a foreign language by completing or receiving credit for the 202 level language course, you need 6 more credit hours of any foreign language coursework at any level.

• If you establish intermediate proficiency in a foreign language by completing or receiving credit for the 210 level language course, you need to take 9 more credit hours of any foreign language coursework at any level. 

You can establish intermediate proficiency in two foreign languages by doing one of the following:

• Complete through the 202 level language course in two different foreign languages
• Receive transfer credit equivalent to the 202 level for one foreign language and complete through the 202 level language coursework in another foreign language
• Combine a Heritage Language Waiver in one foreign language with transfer credit or coursework through the 202 level course in a second foreign language
• Combine MCL placement test credit in one foreign language equivalent with transfer credit or coursework through the 202 level course in a second foreign language
• Complete through the 210 level language course in a foreign language by the end of summer 2018 and then establish intermediate proficiency in a second foreign language by either completing coursework through the 202 level course (available beginning fall 2018) OR receiving a Heritage Language Waiver OR receiving MCL placement test credit for the 202 level course

You can establish intermediate proficiency in that language by:

• Completing the 201 and 202 level courses over any two semesters beginning fall 2018

This is a little different for American Sign Language. If you complete the twelve-credit sequence below you complete the proficiency for the language. You will have six credits of language electives left.

EDSE 115 – 4 credits

EDSE 116 – 4 credits

EDSE 219 – 4 credits

Plus 6 more credits of language electives. Please see your advisor in order to complete a sub/waiver.

You may be eligible for a waiver of the 12 credit intermediate proficiency portion of the foreign language requirement if you can demonstrate language proficiency based on educational experience in a language other than English. If you submitted TOEFL scores (80 or higher on IBT) or IELTS (6.5 or higher) when admitted to GMU Korea, you will be eligible for the foreign language waiver based on another language (e.g. Korean) experience/proficiency. No paperwork is required if you meet the TOEFL or IELTS score requirements. A request for a waiver on your behalf will be made by GMU Korea staff. Also, students who attended a Korean high school (or equivalent institution) in which the language of instruction is not English for at least three years are eligible for foreign language wavier.

If you are seeking a waiver through high school attendance where the language of instruction is not English, please fill out and submit the foreign language waiver form to Academic Advisor, Seunga Seo at sseo8@gmu.edu. Please note that this form indicates four years of attendance at high school, but if you attended a Korean high school, three years of attendance of high school would qualify as there are three years of Korean high school. If you did not attend a Korean high school, you may also seek a waiver by providing proof of attendance at a high school (or equivalent institution) in which the language of instruction is a language other than English. Students must have attended the institution for at least four years, and have a transcript on file for that institution.

Please be aware that students who are granted a waiver will NOT receive academic credit with their waiver. You will still need to complete 6 credits of coursework in foreign language electives.